Display device and drive therefor



4 Sheets-Sheet l nawensnawg wmmnonalwngxu mmm wvngnguaugnangngne @Nang C. ROBERTS DISPLAY DEVICE AND DRIVE THEREFOR Filed Nov. 13, 1936 Nov. 16,'1937.

NOV. 16, 1937. c, ROBERTS 2,099,142

DISPLAY DEVICE AND DRIVE THEREFOR Filed Nov. 13, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 16, 1937. c. ROBERTS 2,099,142

i DISPLAY DEVICE AND DRIVE THEREFOH Filed NOV. l5, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 16, 1937. c. ROBERTS DISPLAY DEVICE AND DRIVE THEREFOR Filed Nov. 13, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 OZLlIVE/NTOR Patented Nov. 16, 1937 iJNiTso stares PATENT OFFICE Multiposter Advertising Corporation,

New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 13, 1936, Serial No. 110,574

17 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for displaying a plurality of advertising or display sheets in locations wherein it has been impossible up to this time to locate mechanical bulletins for the reason that the thicknessV of such devices prohibited their installation.

To illustrate such locations, for instance, in a Pullman car passageway, the entrance passageway in the front of a bus and other such positions where the thickness of a display bulletin must be under two inches. However, with such a wafer type of machine, the capacity of the machine must be such as to hold at least thirty sheets of advertising matter, shown serially, one after the other, in the display window of the machine.

A further object of my invention in.such a machine is to devise a display mechanism which will ,be shock-proof and in Vwhich the display sheets can be quickly changed during the relative short and infrequent times available for such change. VA further feature of the invention is the novel type of holder which sustains the advertising sheet within the machine. This holder not only facilitates the quick change of advertising matter held therein, but, due to its peculiar form, it co-operates with a very simple means of intermittently moving each holder along the operative circuit of the machine to properly display in timed sequenceY the advertising matter which it sustains. The holder of the advertising matter, therefore, is an integral part of this invention which permits my display device to be built within the minimum thickness, as I have above outlined, and still maintain its maximum capacity of display sheets.

A further object of my invention is to so spread out the torque over the cycle of the device necessary ior its operation that it can be readily operatedby a small flexible shaft of considerable length, as for instance, if the device is installed in a taxicab and the flexible shaft extends as far Vforward. as the fan belt of the taxicab motor.

`My invention is further incorporated in a novel structure and relation of co-operating parts which permit of its peculiar contour for installation in passageway and other space restricted display locations. It is to be understood that the embodiment shown herewith is a preferred embodiment only in order to properly illustrate the pril.- ciples involved in my invention. Y

Referring to the drawings, Fig. l shows my invention in frontelevation with the casing removed and showing certain parts in full section.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1,

and shows clearly the extent of the magazine of holders lling the entire side in which the display window is located, as well as both ends of the elongated circuit around which they pass.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 in Fig. 1. 5

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4, also in Fig. l.

Fig. 5 shows clearly in perspective the novel holder or frame used in my invention, together with the advertising sheet alongside and about l0 to be inserted into the needle-like aperture of my novel frame. The advertising sheet is shown folded over on one of its edges ready to be inserted in the holder.

Fig. 6 shows the advertising sheet and holder in perspective as the sheet is being entered into the holder. Y

Fig. 7 shows the completion of this operation of loading the holder with its advertising sheet. In Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the side of the holders is shown with its novel side openings which co-operate with mechanism in my display device to convey and lock the holders.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8 8, in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a section in elevation made to graphically illustrate the co-operation of the side openings in the holder as shown in perspective in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 with the carrier pins and locking bar.

Fig. 10 is a schematic section of my invention showing the rst of a series of progressive positions to illustrate the carrier pin, locking bar and pusher pawl. This View also shows the blank portion of each display sheet marked Z in relation to the extent of the window which comprises the display portion of the sheet. 35

Fig. 11 is the next succeeding position to Fig. l() showing the relative positions of the holder No. 1, locking bar and pusher pawl.

Fig. 12 is similar to Fig. 11 but at a succeeding position.

Fig. 13 shows in section the speed control as used to operate my invention at constant speed as and when installed in vehicles which move at varying speeds.

Fig. 14 is an assembly in elevation and in perspective showing clearly the wafer-like dimen sions of my invention with the flexible drive shaft and speed control, as preferably used to operate it when installed in motor operated vehicles, and the motor of the vehicle is shown in phantom. This installation has proved to be very practical.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in Fig. l, numeral `I is the cabinet of my display device having a window 2 incorporated on the front sid@ thereof, see Fig. 2. A top plate 3 and bottom plate 4 are held in spaced relation by panel 5' secured to the top and bottom plates by screws 5. Numeral 1 indicates the track in both the top and bottom plates in which the Idisplay holders 8 slide, forming the elongated circuit of my device. Sprockets 9 and lil are xed in bearings I! and l2 respectively, secured in panel 5. Sprockets i3 and I4 turn in bearings l5 and I6 and carry chains II and I8 which also pass over sprockets Il and I2. A U shaped cross head 2i) slidably guided by pins 2 l, 22, 23 and 24 supports bearings I5 and I6, and the springs 25 attached at one end to pins 25 secured in panel 5 and the other end attached to pins 2l, cause the chains I'I and I8 to be always under tension and to automatically absorb stretch. vThe lugs 28 and29, respeck forward. In Fig. 11, you see boss depressed havtively secured on chains I8 and Il, perform the following essential functions, as the chains I'I and I8 move on their sprockets driven by shaft 3l, see Fig. 1, which is journaled in bearings 32 and 33,-by virtue of worms 36 and 35 secured to shaft 3|. They engage worm Wheels 35 and 3l respectively which are secured to the hub of the sprockets 9 and l0, see Fig. 4, and in this manner the sprockets rotate in direction of arrows A and B, causing the lugs 28 and 29 to move across the distance between the two pairs of sprockets on which chains I I and I8 mesh in unison, as seen in Fig. 1. The lugs 28 and 29 are about to enter the cut-outs 38 and 39, see Fig. 5,;in the side of display holder C. It is to be noted that the side cut-outs in the sides of the holders are slightly different on each side, see section of holder in Fig. 9. In this manner, as lugs 28 and 29 pass around the circumference of sprockets I3 and I their direction isV reversed and they both press against the solid portion of frame C at @Il and 4I, see Fig. 9, and startY to advance frame C across the length of the machine. Just before the lugs contact with surfaces e0 and 4I, the other end of lug or pin 28, see Fig. 3, which is numbered 3B, contacts with the face o-f arm 42 which is ful- Y crumed at 43 and has a bell crank arm d4 resting *is likewise depressed and is shown just clearing opening 48 inthe side of display holder C so that as pins 28 and`29 start to advance forward as they complete the arc of sprockets M and l5, display holder C is mechanically unlocked. Now in contrast to this unlocked position, note, in Fig. l, that the boss di in its normal position o-n `arm 62 is bearing up against the surface Il, see Fig. 9, showing the holder` C in section, so that holder C cannot advance.

Continuing the next step in the cycle, see Fig. 9, as pins 28 and 29 carry display holder C forward across the gap Y, see Fig. 2, formed by the extremities of the compacted display holders eX- tending completely around one side of the elongated operative circuit, including both circular ends, the pin 28 contacts with arm 5i), see Fig. 9, and pushes it forward to position 55-0. with lug 28 at 28-11, arm 5i! being fulcrumed at 5I and held ina normal position by its bell crank arm V52 to which is attached the tension spring 53 in a straight line to pin 54, and-oif-set arm v55 linked to lever arm 50 at-56 moves forward as arm 5! is Yforced forward by lug 28, arm 55 is retained in an approximately parallel movement by a cross head formed by two roller pins 55 and 5i. On the extremity of arm 55 is a pawl bar 59 retained in a position, as seen in Fig, 2, by spring 6i! and stop 6I. Therefore as pawl bar 59 moves forward, actuated by arm 55, it contacts with the rearmost display holder D, see Fig. 9, pushing it forward to dotted lever position D-c. Likewise, as the rearmost holder is forced forward, it contacts with the next holder and so on, moving all the display holders in the compacted magazine the width of one frame, or that frame, now in transit across the empty space in the circuit. These sequential movements are very graphically shown in Figs. 10, l1 and l2, which schematically show in Fig. 10 display holder C locked by boss or bar lock 47 and pin or'lug 28 about' to carry holder C ing just allowed holder C to pass forward Vcarried by lug 28 and pusher pawl 59 about to Contact with holder D. In Fig. l2, bossV lock if has returned to its locked position, holder C is further advanced, and pawl 52 has pushed holder D ahead the Width of one frame, bringing frame E into display position.

It is to be specifically notedithatY the sprockets 5l, Id, i3 and E4 are vertical to the plane in which the elongated tracks, which guide the display holders, lay in. If the sprockets were, for instance, horizontal, they would have to be eX- tremely small in order to be inserted into such a narrow elongated track circuit. A chain running over such small sprockets causes chain wear and also pulls hard which is detrimental to a flexible shaft drive. For this reason, I purposely place the sprockets vertical which permits the use of a good size sprocket and also makes possible my simple system of display movement by using a pin on the chain which enters the frame through a cut-out on one sideand contacts with the opposite side of the display holder to pull it along in its circuit. Y

Referring to Figs.l 5, 6, 7 and 8, numeral 62 shows the base of my display holder. This base is that part of my frame which travels in track 1, see Fig. 4, and may be made unitary with the double folded portion into which the display sheet 55 enters at the top end thereof, the base 62 may be made a separate portion attached thereto in any well known manner. The folded portion of my holder whichacts as a lock for the display sheet is seen clearly in Fig. 8, when the metal 61 has been folded in on itself to form a U shaped orice providing an easy entry therein for the sheet which has had one edge thereof folded over prior to its entry, see Fig. 5. V'Ihetop position of the folded metal is preferably cut away at its top, see numeral 63, in Fig. 5, likewise section Bil, to make the entry of the paper more easy to accomplish. A stop 65 prevents the paper sheet 55 from passing too far through the U shaped orifice in the holder. Y

The means of operating my wafer typedisplay device in a motor vehicle is a very difficult en'- gineering problem. An electric drive for this device by its continuous use is very apt to overload the storage battery. Cn the other hand, a vacuum motor will not operate if the car goes up grade as and when the butterfly valve in the carburetor is wide open. I have, therefore, devised a form of drive which, under actual test, has proved very satisfactory and practical. The modern motor is completely enclosed. There are no uncovered secondary shaftssuch as magneto or pump shaft exterior to the crank case and available to connect to drive my display device.

hence by using a speed governor and adapting it to obtain a direct drive at a relative high speed off of the vfan belt of the motor, even when the motor is idling, I can obtain sufficient R. P. M. to operate the flexible shaft which I use to connect the governor with the display device. Furthermore, it is necessary to obtain a speed of at least 600 R. P. M. on the flexible shaft to prevent a flutter in the display device mechanism, even taking into account the design of my novel structure to obtain low torque operation. I consider -my system of drive, therefore, very valuable.

Referring to Fig. 13, 8| is the casing in which flexible shaft 82 is encased and which extends directly to the display device, see Fig.'14, numeral 83;"is the driving pulley'shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 13, including a main casing 85, a shaft 84 which terminates in a disc 86 from which spacers 8'! carry a metal friction plate |05. On' each side of this plate |05 are felt discs 89 and 90. An end thrust metal disc 9| is secured to shaft |06 which floats in recess |01 in shaft 84. A second disc 92 is keyed toshaft |06 but is capable of lengthwise movement axially on shaft |06. A member 94 secured by pin |04 to shaft |06 supports the bell crank arms 96 and S8 terminating in weights 91. The pins |08, slidable in member 94, are secured to grooved collar which is under tension of spring |09.

The operation of my governor is manifest. 'Ihe spring |09 retains the weights 91 in a position, as shown in Fig. 13, thereby compressing the felt discs 89 and 90 and causing flexible shaft 82 to rotate in accordance with the speed of the fan belt pulley 83. As andwhen the revolutions increase to a predetermined degree, the weights y outward overcoming the spring tension and the felt discs are relieved of their frictional contact. In this manner, I attain a very even revolution on shaft 82 irrespective of the speed fluctuations of the pulley 83, and hence, an attractive and even operation. of my display device under all operating conditions.

I do not wish to restrict the scope of the use of my display device to motor vehicles, yet the effort to produce a wafer machine to t in the restricted spaces necessary for this service, together with an easily installed and practical mode of driving such a device, has been the paramount theme of this invention.

What I wish to encompass by United States Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a display device having a window therefor and comprising an elongated track circuit horizontal to Vand traversing said window, display holders movably restrained in said track circuit, a motor driven conveyor circuit within said track circuit, and a magazine for said holders composed of that portion of said track circuit embracing both ends thereof and including the side traversing said window filled with compacted display holders.

`2. In a display device having a window therefor and "comprising an elongated track circuit horizontal to and traversing said window, display holders movably restrained in said track circuit, a motor driven conveyor circuit within said track circuit and a magazine for said holders embracing both ends of said track circuit including the side traversing said window, and conveyor means cooperating with said circuit to move one holder at a time through that portion of said circuit empty of said display holders.

3. In a display device having a Window therefor and comprising a plurality of display holders movably restrained in. an elongated closed circuit, said circuit traversing said window along its major axis, said holders completely filling said circuit on that side traversing said window, together with the two ends of said elongated circuit, such that that portion of said circuit left unlled with said holders is substantially equal in length and on the opposite side to said window in said circuit, and motor driven conveyor means to move said holders, one at a time seriatim, across said empty portion of said circuit.

4. A display device for motor vehicle installation including an internal combustion motor therefor and having a fan belt driven by said motor and comprising a window in said device, and means for displaying a plurality of displays seriatim past said window, motive actuating means for said device connecting said device to said fan belt of the motor in said vehicle, comprising a Vspeed governor actuated by said fan belt and a exible shaft connecting said governor with said device.

5. A display holder to hold a display sheet in a display device of the type described, comprising a base, a metal superstructure secured thereto and formed with a double fold of metal, said double fold spaced apart to permit a display sheet folded at one end thereof to enter lengthwise into said double fold, thereby constituting a lock against any pull on said display sheet at right angles to said double fold.

6. In a display device having a window therefor and comprising a compacted group of display holders movably restrained in a closed circuit,

motive operated conveyor means to move one of said holders at a time along the empty portion of said circuit, said conveyor means sustained by two pulleys mounted normal to and within the Y plane of said closed circuit, a projection on said conveyor adapted to engage one of said holders as and when it passes over one of said pulleys and to disengage said holder when it passes over the other of said pulleys, and means to advance said compacted group of holders in said circuit during the interval of said engagement and disengagement.

'7. In a display device having a window therefor and comprising a compacted group of display holders movably restrained in an elongated horizontal circuit therein, motor operated conveyor means located within and normal to said circuit, means on said conveyor and co-operating means on the back of said holders to permit said conveyor to engage said holders, one at a time, at one end of said elongated circuit and to disengage said holder at the other end of said circuit.

8. In a display device having a window therefor, an elongated horizontal circuit having circular ends therein and supporting a plurality of display holders movably restrained thereby, motor operated conveyor means carried on two rotating supports mounted parallel to and within said circuit, a projection on said conveyor means, the circumference of said rotating supports for said conveyor in respect to the circumference of said circular ends of said circuit being so proportioned that said projection, co-operating with said holders in said circuit, engages said holders, one at a time, at one end of said elongated circuit and disengages said holders at the other end of said circuit.

9. In a display device having a window therefor and comprising a compacted group of display holders movably restrained in an elongated closed circuit horizontal to said window, motive operated conveyor means to move said holders, one at a time, along the empty portion of said circuit, said conveyor means mounted on two pulleys, the axis of Which is normal in respect to said closed circuit, and means on said conveyor to engage said holders, one at a time, when passing'over one of said pulleys and to disengage said holder when passing over the other of said pulleys.

l0. In a display device having a Window therefor and comprising a plurality of display holders movably restrained in a closed circuit, the major axis oi which is' parallel to said Window, motive means to convey said holders past said Window, said conveyor means supported on two pulleys, said pulleys mounted parallel to the plane of and Within said closed circuit, and a projection on said conveyor means adapted to engage the back of said holders, one at a time, at one end of said circuit and to disengage from said holders at the other end of said circuit as and Y when said projection passes over said pulleys.

In a display device having a Window therefor and comprising an elongated track circuit horizontal to and traversing said Window, display holders movably restrained in said track, a motive driven conveyor circuit normal to and Within said track circuit, a projection on said conveyor circuit, means due to the relative length of the track circuit as compared With the conveyor circuit to engage said projection with one of said display holders as and when said projection reaches the extremity of said conveyor circuit and to disengagesaid holder when it reaches the other extremity of said circuit.

12. In a display device having a Window therefor and comprising an elongated track circuit horizontal to and traversing said Window, display holders movaloly restrained in said circuit, a motor driven conveyor circuit Within said track circuit, and a magazine for said holders .composed of that portion of said track circuit including the side traversing said Window and extending beyond said Window to include the extremities of said elongated track circuit.

13. A display device for motor vehicle installation including an internal combustion motor therefor and `having a fan belt driven loy said motor and comprising a Window in said device; and means for displaying a plurality of displays seriatim past said window, motive actuating means for said device connecting said device to said ian belt of the motor in said vehicle, comprising a speed governor actuated by said fan belt, and connecting means operatively connecting said governor With said device.

14. In a display device having a window therefor and comprising an elongated track circuit horizontal to and traversing said' window, display holders movably restrained in said circuit, a magazine for said holders composed of that portion Iof said track circuit including the side traversing said Window and extending loeyondv said Window to include the extremities of said elongated track circuit, and motor driven means to convey one holder at a time from one extremity of said magazine along the empty portion of said track circuit to the other extremity of said magazine. f

l5. In a display device having a window therefor and comprising an elongated track circuit I traversing said Window, display holders movably restrained in said circuit, a magazine for said holders composed of that portion of said track ,circuit including theside traversing said Window and extending beyond said window to include the f extremities of said elongated track circuit, and motor driven means to convey one holder at a time from one extremity of said magazine along the empty portion of said track circuit to the other extremity of said magazine.

16. In a display device having a window therefor and comprising a compacted group of display holders movably restrained in an elongated circuit therein, motor operated conveyor means located Within and normal to said circuit, means on said conveyor and co-operating means on the back of said holders to permit said conveyor to engage said holders, one at a time, at one end of said elongated circuit and to disengage said holder at the other end of said circuit. Y Y

l'7.Y In a display device having a Window therefor and comprising an elongated track circuit traversing said window, display holders movably restrained in said track circuit, a motor driven conveyor circuit Within said track circuit, and a magazine for said holders composed of that portion of said track circuit embracing both ends thereof and including the side traversing said Window lled with compacted' display holders.

CHAS. ROBERTS. 

